Product manufacturers frequently offer incentive programs to builders. One such builder program that has been expanded is from Linear LLC, Carlsbad, Calif., which manufactures a mix of residential building products.

“We need to get builders to move structured wiring up the list, so it’s one of the first couple things a homeowner might consider, because once the drywall goes up, the odds of them picking structured wiring as an option will dwindle because of the cost associated with it,” concedes Bob Patton, Linear’s director of sales and marketing.

Linear’s builder program can be tailored to include smart home wiring and home theatre speaker packages; whole house music and intercoms; household communications systems; monitored home security and personal emergency reporting systems; garage door openers, entry controls and gate operators; and central vacuum systems.

“I offer to the builder a rebate but also to the integrator installing product,” Patton points out. “I give integrators an opportunity to get product from us at no charge depending on how many ‘builder bucks’ they earned.

“So if they put an intercom system into a home, I’ll give them in most cases a $10 credit they can use to get products from us at a discounted price, or if they have enough product builder bucks, they can get product for free,” he explains. “I am supporting them.”

 For more information, visitwww.linearcorp.com.